Ford Cars: Driving At It's Finest 

Wear your seatbelt

Hey, your Ford F-150 may be the bestselling pickup truck in the US, but it won’t guarantee you your life if you don’t wear your seatbelt. You can put in the best add-ons and auto parts from Ford Parts Online, but if you drive without your seal belt on, you’d still might get thrown out of the truck and lose your life.

Take a good look at these figures: according to the latest report on seat-belt use by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, men account for 65% of the more than 31,000 people killed each year in passenger vehicles.

The report also found:

• 58% of those killed who weren't wearing a seat belt crashed along rural roads
• In crashes involving pickup trucks, about seven in 10 people who died were unbelted
• More than six in 10 males age eight to 44 who were killed inside a passenger vehicle weren't buckled up, compared with less than 40% of women in that same age group
• Among men 21 to 24, about two-thirds of those killed in vehicles weren't wearing a seat belt.

So be responsible. Wear your seat belt always.

New F-Series debut pushed back

The Daily Auto Insider reports that Ford has pushed back the introduction of its redesigned F-Series Super Duty pickup trucks because of "issues related to a new diesel engine under development for the truck.”

The Super Duty pickups were originally scheduled to launched early in the fourth quarter this year. Now, Ford has moved the launch to January of the coming year. International Truck and Engine Corp., the operating company of Navistar International Corp., is developing the diesel "Power Stroke" engine for the truck.

While waiting for the well-anticipated truck, why not update you Ford vehicle with new grille, bumper, hubcaps, or engine parts from Ford Parts Online?

Ford is preferred used car brand by both kids and parents

According to a new survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, contrary to what some might expect, parents shopping for a used car for their son or daughter and young adults shopping for a vehicle themselves have some similar priorities. Both groups prefer the same types of used vehicles -- small cars and family sedans -- and rank reliability, price, and fuel efficiency as being among the most important buying factors. The same four vehicle brands-Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, and Toyota were identified by both parents and young adults. Young people however, who intended to buy their own vehicle expressed more interest in features such as MP3 players and subwoofers. They also indicated they were willing to pay more for a used car.

The online survey, conducted in late April and early May, included 1,338 parents and 1,200 teens and young adults from nationally-representative sample. Responding parents had a child aged 16 to 22 years old and either were recently involved in the acquisition of a new or used-car for their offspring or planned to be involved in one soon. Respondents in the second group ranged in age from 16 to 22 and either had recently acquired a new or used car or planned to soon. For this analysis, CR focused on used-car buying.

Results showed that fifty-five percent of parents and 41 percent of young people would choose a small car over some other vehicle type. Family sedans were the second most popular sort of vehicle, with all other vehicle types trailing well behind. Perhaps reflecting current gasoline prices, large SUVs came in last.

More than two-thirds of both groups, parents and young adults, said they intended to buy a used car that was at least six years old (2000 model year) or older-and inexpensive. Ford and Chevrolet were named by respondents were the used-car brands chosen more often than the others. Honda and Toyota came in third and fourth-place in the survey, respectively.

Of course, when purchasing a used Ford car, you may want to update its look and performance with auto parts like Ford Aspire parts, Ford Escape parts, Ford Escort parts, Ford Explorer parts and other engine parts. Find the best Ford auto parts at trusted online auto parts stores like Ford Parts Online.

Keeping your teen driver safe

If you’re a parent to a new teenage driver, you probably spend hours at a time worrying about your son or daughter getting into an accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15 to 20 year olds, accounting for forty percent of all teen deaths. While this age group makes up only 10% of the U. S. population, they account for 14% of all crash fatalities. So teaching your teen to be a careful and safe driver can make the difference in his survival behind the wheel. It’s an effort that takes time, knowledge, and patience.

To help remedy the problem of high accident rates among new teen drivers, Ford has introduced "Driving Skills for Life," a new Internet site aimed at young people that teaches driving skills. The site asks users to register and then log in to the driving skills Web site, where they can take tests, complete educational modules, play games and win points toward prizes including laptops digital cameras and die-cast models of Ford vehicles. There are also features aimed at parents and teachers of new teen drivers.

Of course, nothing beats setting a good example. If you run red and yellow lights, speed down the highway at 75 MPH, weave in and out of traffic, take chances on the road, ride the bumper of the car in front of you, scream at other drivers, or exhibit other signs of road rage, don’t expect your teen to be the best driver in town. Model the behavior you want your teen to follow and start early.

Also, don’t forget to teach your teen the importance of regular car maintenance. And when it comes to car maintenance, you can trust Ford Parts Online to give you top of the line Ford auto parts to help keep your and your teen’s Ford vehicle in shape.

Tire Care and Safety

Why should you take the time to check your tires at least 5 minutes each month?
Well, here’s why:

• Protection against avoidable breakdowns and crashes
• Improved vehicle handling
• Better fuel economy
• Increased tire life

To name just a few. Aside from making sure you get only the best replacement tires from reliable online auto parts stores like Ford Parts Online for your vehicle, follow this no fuss tire safety checklist for a worry-free ride:

• Check tire pressure regularly (at least once a month), including the spare.
• Inspect tires for uneven wear patterns on the tread, cracks, foreign objects, or other signs of wear or trauma.

Remove bits of glass and other foreign objects wedged in the tread.

• Make sure your tire valves have valve caps.
• Check tire pressure before going on a long trip.
• Do not overload your vehicle. Check the tire information placard or owner’s manual for the maximum recommended load for the vehicle.
• If you are towing a trailer, remember that some of the weight of the loaded trailer is transferred to the towing vehicle.

And yes, remember to check your tires once a month!

Ford replaces ad campaign

In the news: Ford is dropping its "Built for the Road Ahead" advertising campaign in favor of "Bold Moves," according to sources. "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson will star in ads scheduled to begin in early May.

"It's more than just a tag line," a source says. "It fits with Red, White and Bold." Ford Americas Chief Mark Fields is reportedly using said phrase to drive the automaker's North American turnaround efforts.

Ford plans to brief its top-50 dealers and the heads of 64 dealer advertising groups at a meeting in Dearborn, Mich., on Wednesday, April 26. A talk with dealers about better coordinating national and regional advertising is also said to be in the works. Some dealers are concerned that Ford wants to dictate the creative content of regional advertising.

Ford also has considered extending its vehicle warranty to six years from three years. The Dearborn automaker however, would not comment if there are indeed plans to announce a warranty extension this week.

In the meantime, quality Ford Mainline Parts, Ford Falcon Parts, Ford Custom Parts and Ford Ranchero parts are still available at your trusted online auto parts store, Ford Parts Online.

SVT survives

When Ford announced the cancellation of several of its SVT brand’s projects as part of its Way Forward restructuring plans, many could not help but be disappointed. Earlier this week however, Ford Executive Mark Fields announced that Ford’s Special Vehicle Team will survive. It would just be scaled back.

The Dearborn will offer one high-performance Mustang and one high-performance truck in its lineup, Fields said last week at the New York auto show. The automaker also expects to sell 5,000 to 10,000 units of each SVT vehicle annually.

Ford is mum about what kind of truck is in the works or when it would debut. The Shelby GT500, the latest Mustang developed by SVT, is scheduled to go on sale this summer.

Fields also confirmed that SVT and Ford Racing's marketing groups have been combined. He described Ford's performance strategy as a three-pronged approach encompassing SVT, Ford Racing and "personalized performance" aimed at the tuner crowd.

And speaking of personalized performance, why consider updating your own Ford vehicle? Check out the top of the line Ford auto parts like Ford Explorer wheels, Ford Mustang grilles, Ford Escape bumper (front), Ford F150 Pickup Lights (Altezza) and engine parts at Ford Parts Online.

Laughtrip

While checking out Ford Parts Online for new hubcaps for my Ford F-150, I chanced upon this in the net and had a few chuckles.

THE OIL CHANGE: A Gender-Related Difference of Opinion


Oil Change Instructions For Women:

1. Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3,000 since the last oil change.
2. Drink a cup of coffee.
3. Fifteen minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Money spent:
Oil Change $30.00
Coffee $ 1.00
----------------------------
Total $31.00


Oil Change Instructions For Men:

1. Go to auto parts store and write a check for $50.00 for oil, filter, kitty litter, hand cleaner and a scented tree.

2. Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it back to O'Reilly to recycle, dump in hole in back yard.

3. Open a beer and drink it.

4. Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.

5. Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.

6. In frustration, open another beer and drink it.

7. Place drain pan under engine.

8. Look for 9/16 box end wrench.

9. Give up and use crescent wrench.

10. Unscrew drain plug.

11. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil: get hot oil on you in process.

12. Clean up mess.

13. Have another beer while watching oil drain.

14. Look for oil filter wrench.

15. Give up; poke oil filter with screwdriver and twist off.

16. Beer.

17. Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Finish oil change
tomorrow.

18. Next day, drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.

19. Throw kitty litter on oil spilled during step 18.

20. Beer? No, drank it all yesterday.

21. Walk to 7-11; buy beer.

22. Install new oil filter making sure to apply a thin coat of oil to
gasket surface.

23. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.

24. Remember drain plug from step 11.

25. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.

26. Realize drain plug got dumped in the hole in the backyard, with the used
oil.

27. Drink beer.

28. Uncover hole and sift for drain plug.

29. Discover that first quart of fresh oil is now on the floor.

30. Drink beer.

31. Tighten drain plug, slip on oil and bang knuckles on the frame.

32. Bang head on floorboard in reaction to step 31.

33. Begin cussing fit.

34. Throw wrench.

35. Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December (1992) in the left boob.

36. Beer.

37. Clean up hands and forehead and bandages required to stop blood flow.

38. Beer.

40. Dump in five fresh quarts of oil.

41. Beer.

42. Lower car from jack stands.

43. Accidentally crush one of the jack stands.

44. Move car back to apply more kitty litter to fresh oil spilled during step 23.

45. Beer.

46. Test drive car.

47. Get pulled over: arrested for driving under the influence.

48. Car gets impounded.

49. Make bail: Get car from impound yard.

Money spent:
Parts $ 50.00
Beer $ 25.00
Replace Jacks $ 75.00 (hey, the colors have to match!)
Bail $1,000.00
Towing & Impound $ 200.00
----------------------------
Total $1,350.00

Reintroducing the Shelby GT350H

Sooner or later we might be saying hello to this again:



News is rife that Ford is putting the finishing touches on a special throwback Mustang for the upcoming New York Auto Show, one that harks back to the famed Hertz rental car Shelby Mustangs from the ’60s.

The Dearborn automaker is mum about the details, but Autoweek reports that the latest incarnation of the Shelby GT350H will carry the same gold-on-black paint scheme as the 1966 original. The new GT350H will also offer higher performance in keeping with the car from the past that, legend has it, was often rented and raced. Ford built 999 copies of the 1966 GT350H, which featured a 289-cid, 306-hp V8.

Nut while we wait, let’s not forget to keep our current Ford vehicles in good shape. Should you need quality Ford auto parts for Ford Courier Parts, Ford Mainline Parts, Ford Fairlane Parts, Ford Windstar Parts and more, just visit Ford Parts Online.

Ford asks Congress support for E85

In the news: Ford is asking Congress to back efforts to increase the availability of fuel pumps that dispense E85, a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

According to Ford’s website, the benefits of ethanol vehicles are the following:

• Ethanol vehicles are called Flexible Fuel Vehicles (FFV) due to their ability to run on Ethanol (E85), gasoline or any combination of the two fuels. E85 is a blend of 85 percent denatured ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

• Today, Ethanol is produced mainly from corn, but can be made from virtually any starch feed stock such as sugar cane, wheat, or barley.

• Because Ethanol is produced from crops, it is a renewable fuel and reduces the United States' dependence on imported oil.

• The adaptable fuel is grown in popularity and there are approximately 100 refueling sites in North America, and a continually developing infrastructure.

• Ford FFVs automatically adjust for any mixture for a hassle-free and environmentally sound driving. Onboard sensors monitor the fuel mixture and the on-board computer adjusts spark timing and fuel flow to optimize performance.

• Flexible Fuel vehicles can be ordered and serviced through any North American Ford Dealership including those vehicles that meet California emission standards.


Ford also urged the committee to consider tax credits for research and development on ethanol production and vehicle technology. Tax incentives were also suggested, to encourage consumers and businesses to use renewable fuels.

E85 sounds like a good idea. But it looks like it’s going to be a while before this technology really takes off. In the meantime, we can cut our fuel expenses by taking good care of our vehicles and by practicing good driving habits. And in case you need the best replacement auto parts for Ford Explorer Parts, radiator support, Ford Bronco Parts, or catalytic converter for your car, just click over to Ford Parts Online.